Rise in the East

Since the current alignment of the NL East was created in 1994, the NL batting average leader at season end has never come from an NL East team (10 times from the West, 3 times from the Central). This season may well be the breakthrough year -- Hanley Ramirez of Florida was leading the NL as of the beginning of today's games, and three of the next 4 hitters on the batting average leader board this morning, are also from NL East teams. One of those is Chase Utley, who is on the DL with a broken hand but needs only 40 more PAs to qualify for the batting title. The current NL East has never won a Slugging Percentage title either, and that might just change as well. Prince Fielder was leading the league at the beginning of today's games, but Miguel Cabrera, Chipper Jones and Ryan Howard are closing in.